to preface, i wasn't the most excited for this, as Liam was quite unlikable in Maeve's book. however, the prospect of getting to see Maeve and Wes again, along with the teaser videos (i know those can be deceiving!!), i grew to anticipate this book. and though i did end up creating expectations that were not met, i'm also not disappointed in the sense that i ended up just feeling impartial.
first off, for the good, can i say how nice it was to feel like i was returning somewhere? Maeve and Wes' book was a great read to me and so it felt somewhat comforting to see them again, knowing they're still together and in love. there was some side-plot for them, though, i have to say it was handled well; realistic angst that didn't overpower the plot, and was handled well. simply, Maeve and Wes remain my favourite characters and couple from this author.
one more good thing to add was the writing; it has improved immensely. the inner monologue, the emotions and feelings, and even the dialogue were much smoother and fuller this time around, and for that i was impressed. the plotting was also good, but i feel like the story's circumstances benefitted that unlike Maeve's.
this then leads us to what i ultimately did not like: Natalie and Liam together. i'll be honest: their heart-felt scenes were sweet (especially the late night patio scene!) and the tension was there, but i felt as though i couldn't feel the compatibility. i think what good came from the relationship was tainted by Natalie's attitude—there's a fine line between closing yourself off from the world because it has disappointed you time and time again, and being rude and brash because you've had enough all the time, Natalie being part of the latter. there also came a point where their relationship was purely physical, and i couldn't mesh with that. this is unrelated to the relationship, but something small i also noticed: there wasn't much sports in the book. along with Maeve and Wes' characters, their individual passions for their sport really made the book fun. in this case, since it was the summer, we didn't get to see much of Liam's training or Natalie's cheerleading, and as a sports romance lover, that would've really made the book seem more full and immersive.
ultimately, the read was only okay to me, which is a shame because the author is definitely growing in skill and this series had begun well, let alone the book. i guess i'll just have Maeve and Wes to return to, which is more than okay.